This page will help management, and staff alike, understand the benefits of technology to the organization. We will focus on effective wayso introduce staff to technology, whether the technology is old or new; in addition we will look at ways to reduce the intimidation factor many people suffer from. Without humans, no advances are possible regardless of the amount of technology available. The key is helping your staff understand they are important, and knowing technology will be their ally—that’s where the understanding of what’s in it for them comes in. Finally, we will look at effective ways of blending humans and technology together for the greater good.
What is the “human element” in instructional technology? First, and foremost, it is the giver and the receiver – the instructor and the learner, thus giving two sides to the equation. Since the instructor typically knows what he, or she, will be doing and what to expect it is the learner we must be concerned with.
According to the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) instructional technology is "the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources”(Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). We must recognize the definition of instructional technology to understand the definition of the human element. Based on that definition of instructional technology, Suzanne Buehler, B.A.A.S. instructor at Texas A&M University-Texarkana offers this definition of the human element: “any recognition of human qualities and how to address those effectively to enhance the learning process” (Buehler, 2012).
Introducing technology to your staff.
Change is one thing everyone can be certain of and introducing a new concept is never easy. People are going to have questions. Why? What is in it for me? Is it going to be difficult? Do we have to do this now? Answering these questions up front will go a long way in obtaining cooperation from your staff and alleviating fears. Barbara Spiegelman, Manager of Technical Information and Communication at Westinghouse Energy Systems Business Unit, offers sage advice in this area. Her suggestions include “prioritizing time and energy to anticipate and prepare for the inevitable resistance to the changes.” You have to be ready for the reactions to the change in order to appease them. You can do this by making a list of anticipated objections to the change and answering them before you institute the change. This strategy will not only show your staff you are mindful of their concerns, but have prepared to help them.
What is my staff afraid of?
Humans are afraid of the unknown! For humans, any change represents the unknown and it scares us. Let us revisit the questions listed above. Why? Answering this question will go a long way in soothing your staff. For instance, if you are introducing a new inventory system – outline the reasons to your staff before they ask. It could be as simple as “our old system won’t handle the coding of the new price tags manufacturers have begun using”, but they need a valid reason in order to prepare themselves. What is in it for me? This is another piece of information that will help you help your staff. Again, it does not have to be a complicated answer – “the new system is going to save you time and effort during inventory.” Then tell them how it is going to make things better and more efficient for them – they might be able to look at a handheld terminal and find out whether a particular item is in stock instead of having to perform a manual search in a big warehouse. Is it going to be difficult? Always be as honest as you can with this question. If the system is difficult, let them know. But, also, let them know that you have all the support and training available to make sure they understand it and can operate the new system efficiently. Do we have to do this now? Sometimes the answer to that can be “no.” If that is the case, let your staff know why you are doing it right now – perhaps the time is right due to the company’s financial strength. If the answer is “yes,” tell them, and tell them why. Again, it could be as simple as the above answer regarding the inventory tags – something in the current system isn’t compatible with your supplier’s new system.
Barbara Spiegelman also offers advice regarding resistance, and the two types of resistance: overt and covert. Ms. Spiegelman advises encouraging overt resistance – this allows employees the opportunity to openly vent their frustrations and gives you the opportunity to rebut. Covert resistance is the opposite and you may not be aware of it until it is too late, a situation you want to avoid if at all possible. Covert resistance can appear in the form of lack of cooperation, seemingly unintentional “accidents”, and sabotage. It is important to know the difference so you can handle the situation properly.
Responding to overt resistance usually requires honest and open dialog. Responding to covert resistance may be a little tricky and it will require some investigative skills on your part. Spiegelman states the two most common types of covert resistance are “lip service” and “analysis paralysis.” “Procrastination and featherbedding” fall in the lip service category. Procrastinators will tell you it’s next on their list, but when you check in with them the task isn’t done. In this situation you will need to insist no other tasks come before this one. Featherbedders will start the job but will take their own sweet time completing it. Analysis paralysis involves lots and lots of “looking at the situation” before getting started. In this situation the job will never get done because something else always needs analyzing. Spiegelman says this is where you must “identify a date” and “enforce it” (Spiegelman, 2012).
Technology and Staff: an Organized Effective Union Once you understand the fears, and possible objections, of your staff you can move forward as an organized unit. This is not to say it won’t be easy, nothing worthwhile usually is, but the end result will be worth the effort you put into it.
If you are aware of other companies successfully using the same technology you are trying to introduce, allow some of your key staffers to visit one of those companies. Allowing them to observe and question others who have been, and are, where they are going can make a substantial difference in the outcome of your program.
Periodic assessments are also recommended to make sure your staff understands what they are doing, and that they are still doing it correctly. If things are not going as smoothly as you had envisioned all is not lost – a little more training may be in order and the assessment will show you where it is needed. If all is going according to plan, you have accomplished your goal and will be better prepared for the next transition. Because change is the one thing we can all count on!
Terms and definitions
Instructional Technology - the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.
Human Element - any recognition of human qualities and how to address those effectively to enhance the learning process.
Covert Resistance – unvoiced resistance, you won’t know about it because the resister is hiding his, or her, feelings.
Overt Resistance – voiced resistance, you will know about it.
Procrastination – putting off tasks, this is covert resistance.
Featherbedding – starting a task but never finishing it, this is covert resistance.
Lip Service – part of featherbedding and procrastination, a type of “yes man” mentality.
Analysis Paralysis – this person is continually “looking at the situation”, in order to really put if off.
References
Buehler, S. (2012, October 10). Texas A&M University-Texarkana Instructor. (L. Scott, Interviewer)
Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
This page will help management, and staff alike, understand the benefits of technology to the organization. We will focus on effective wayso introduce staff to technology, whether the technology is old or new; in addition we will look at ways to reduce the intimidation factor many people suffer from. Without humans, no advances are possible regardless of the amount of technology available. The key is helping your staff understand they are important, and knowing technology will be their ally—that’s where the understanding of what’s in it for them comes in. Finally, we will look at effective ways of blending humans and technology together for the greater good.
What is the “human element” in instructional technology? First, and foremost, it is the giver and the receiver – the instructor and the learner, thus giving two sides to the equation. Since the instructor typically knows what he, or she, will be doing and what to expect it is the learner we must be concerned with.
According to the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) instructional technology is "the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources”(Reiser & Dempsey, 2012). We must recognize the definition of instructional technology to understand the definition of the human element. Based on that definition of instructional technology, Suzanne Buehler, B.A.A.S. instructor at Texas A&M University-Texarkana offers this definition of the human element: “any recognition of human qualities and how to address those effectively to enhance the learning process” (Buehler, 2012).
Introducing technology to your staff.
Change is one thi
What is my staff afraid of?
Humans are afraid of the unknown! For humans, any change represents the unknown and it scares us. Let us revisit the questions listed above. Why? Answering this question will go a long way in soothing your staff. For instance, if you are introducing a new inventory system – outline the reasons to your staff before they ask. It could be as simple as “our old system won’t handle the coding of the new price tags manufacturers have begun using”, but they need a valid reason in order to prepare themselves. What is in it for me? This is another piece of information that will help you help your staff. Again, it does not have to be a complicated answer – “the new system is going to save you time and effort during inventory.” Then tell them how it is going to make things better and more efficient for them – they might be able to look at a handheld terminal and find out whether a particular item is in stock instead of having to perform a manual search in a big warehouse. Is it going to be difficult? Always be as honest as you can with this question. If the system is difficult, let them know. But, also, let them know that you have all the support and training available to make sure they understand it and can operate the new system efficiently. Do we have to do this now? Sometimes the answer to that can be “no.” If that is the case, let your staff know why you are doing it right now – perhaps the time is right due to the company’s financial strength. If the answer is “yes,” tell them, and tell them why. Again, it could be as simple as the above answer regarding the inventory tags – something in the current system isn’t compatible with your supplier’s new system.
Barbara Spiegelman also offers advice regarding resistance, and the two types of resistance: overt and covert. Ms. Spiegelman advises encouraging overt resistance – this allows employees the opportunity to openly vent their frustrations and gives you the opportunity to rebut. Covert resistance is the opposite and you may not be aware of it until it is too late, a situation you want to avoid if at all possible. Covert resistance can appear in the form of lack of cooperation, seemingly unintentional “accidents”, and sabotage. It is important to know the difference so you can handle the situation properly.
Responding to overt resistance usually requires honest and open dialog. Responding to covert resistance may be a little tricky and it will require some investigative skills on your part. Spiegelman states the two most common types of covert resistance are “lip service” and “analysis paralysis.” “Procrastination and featherbedding” fall in the lip service category. Procrastinators will tell you it’s next on their list, but when you check in with them the task isn’t done. In this situation you will need to insist no other tasks come before this one. Featherbedders will start the job but will take their own sweet time completing it. Analysis paralysis involves lots and lots of “looking at the situation” before getting started. In this situation the job will never get done because something else always needs analyzing. Spiegelman says this is where you must “identify a date” and “enforce it” (Spiegelman, 2012).
Technology and Staff: an Organized Effective Union
Once you understand the fears, and possible objections, of your staff you can move forward as an organized unit. This is not to say it won’t be easy, nothing worthwhile usually is, but the end result will be worth the effort you put into it.
If you are aware of other companies successfully using the same technology you are trying to introduce, allow some of your key staffers to visit one of those companies. Allowing them to observe and question others who have been, and are, where they are going can make a substantial difference in the outcome of your program.
Periodic assessments are also recommended to make sure your staff understands what they are doing, and that they are still doing it correctly. If things are not going as smoothly as you had envisioned all is not lost – a little more training may be in order and the assessment will show you where it is needed. If all is going according to plan, you have accomplished your goal and will be better prepared for the next transition. Because change is the one thing we can all count on!
Terms and definitions
Instructional Technology - the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources.
Human Element - any recognition of human qualities and how to address those effectively to enhance the learning process.
Covert Resistance – unvoiced resistance, you won’t know about it because the resister is hiding his, or her, feelings.
Overt Resistance – voiced resistance, you will know about it.
Procrastination – putting off tasks, this is covert resistance.
Featherbedding – starting a task but never finishing it, this is covert resistance.
Lip Service – part of featherbedding and procrastination, a type of “yes man” mentality.
Analysis Paralysis – this person is continually “looking at the situation”, in order to really put if off.
References
Buehler, S. (2012, October 10). Texas A&M University-Texarkana Instructor. (L. Scott, Interviewer)
Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (2012). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology (3rd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.
Spiegelman, B. M. (2012, October 5). Quantum Dialog. Retrieved from Dialog: http://quantum.dialog.com/q2_resources/tools/change/
Page Author: Linda Scott